The mountain hare, as is well known, changes colour from white in winter to brown in summer.
Fewer snowy days due to climate change can lead to a mismatch between the hare's coat colour and the colour of the surroundings.
– I used images from camera traps and reported animal observations from 58° N to 71° N in Norway to investigate how the timing of coat change varies along a south-north gradient. I also examined how the mismatch between hare colour and background colour is affected by climate change, Allan W. Stokes writes to inn.no.
Hares further north and at higher altitudes kept their white winter coat for longer than their counterparts further south and at lower altitudes.
– This indicates that the timing of coat change is adapted to local conditions within Norway, Stokes explains.
He also observed a change from earlier times.
– I also investigated the effect of a changing winter length over the last 60 years, and I found that the areas with the greatest decrease in the number of snowy days during winter were also the areas where hares had the most days with the 'wrong colour'.
Allan William Stokes completed his PhD in the Applied Ecology and Biotechnology doctoral programme. His dissertation is titled 'Climate change and the race for survival: exploring the effects of climate change on the phenology and distribution of native mountain hares (Lepus timidus) and invasive European hares (Lepus europaeus)'.
Suitable habitat for the white mountain hare was spread across most of Norway. Suitable habitat for the heath hare was mostly in southern Norway, while the European hare's suitable habitat was mainly in the southeast of the country.
– We expect that climate change will lead to a reduction in suitable habitat for the white mountain hare, while the amount of suitable habitat for the heath hare and the European hare will increase, Allan William Stokes concludes.
Her finner du mer informasjon om disputasen til Allan William Stokes 7. juni 2024.
Here you can find more information about Allan William Stokes' defence on June 7, 2024.
Main findings from the doctoral work:
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Mountain hares that live at high latitudes and altitudes keep their winter white coats for longer than their low latitude and altitude conspecifics.
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Mountain hare moult timing is failing to track climate change induced reductions in the number of snow days.
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Climate change is predicted to result in the contraction of white mountain hare suitable habitat and the expansion of European hare and heath hare suitable habitat.
Contact information:
- allan.stokes@inn.no
- Phone
- +47 61 28 74 22